152 w. commercial street • east rochester, ny 14445 • 585.381.6490

BALSAMIC-ROASTED PEARS

WITH PEPPER AND HONEY

Every Thursday, the balance staff enjoys a potluck lunch together. Often it starts as one of us having a dish we would love to try out and the rest build around it. Other times, we pick our menu according to an ethnic theme. After the holidays we were all feeling a little done with heavy desserts. Terry prepared this recipe for us and we all thought we had died and gone to heaven!

Pears surrounded by chunks of cheese and served with a dish of honey are a very Italian ending to a meal. This recipe (from The Gourmet Cookbook) embellishes the idea by roasting the pears with vinegar to sharpen the flavor, setting them beside Manchego, a mild sheep's milk cheese, and drizzling honey across the top. A little black pepper adds sparkle!

2 Tablespoons unsalted butter

2 firm but ripe Bosc pears, halved lengthwise and cored

3 Tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1/4 lb. manchego or mild fresh goat cheese, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature

1/4 cup honey or to taste

Freshly ground black pepper

Put a rack in middle of oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Put butter in an 8-inch square baking dish and melt in oven, about 3 minutes. Arrange pears cut sides down in one layer in dish, and roast until tender, about 20 minutes. Pour vinegar over pears and roast for 5 minutes more.

Transfer pears, cut sides down, to serving plates and spoon some of juices from baking dish over them. Arrange cheese next to pears, drizzle pears and cheese with honey, and sprinkle with pepper.